Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

In June 2023, the Justice Canada in supporting a Ministerial mandate letter commitment to develop Canada’s Black Justice Strategy invited Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation Inc (TAYFFI) to consider taking on a contract as part of the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy (the Strategy). 

In line with the project statement of work, TAYFFI was to help inform the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy by conducting a series of in-person and virtual engagements and consultations with individuals, professionals, and community members within the Saskatchewan’s diverse Black community, some of whom who could potentially be victims, offenders, and actors in the criminal justice system. 

The purpose was to gather inter-generational perspectives on their experience, encounters with, and perception of the different phases and issues in the Canada’s criminal justice system to support the prioritization of strategies and initiatives to effectively address current and emerging issues and concerns.

The Department of Justice Canada is pleased to announce that A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, the report of the external Steering Group for Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, was released today. 

This history-making Report is the culmination of the external Steering Group’s work, which occurred over the course of one year, and is informed by the engagements and consultations that occurred with Black communities across Canada in Fall 2023. 

The Report is an important step toward addressing the anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination that has led to the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system, including as victims of crime.  

Our Saskatchewan Black Communities Consultation report will contribute to the development of Canada’s first-ever Black Justice Strategy with the goal to address anti-Black Racism and other forms of discrimination that contributes to the overrepresentation of Black people in Canada’s Justice System – a call to action and transformative change to ensure equal treatment and equal protection for Black people under the law in Canada!

We at TAYFFI are honored to have brought the voices, views, and perspectives of Saskatchewan Black communities forward, thereby bringing our realities and lived experiences to the front burner on national table, and being counted among those writing Canada’s history as it relates to Black Access to Justice.

The Minister of Justice had asked the external Steering Group to provide strategic advice on how to combat that overrepresentation, and the external Steering Group has responded with 114 recommendations for transformative change. 

You may access the Report on Canada’s Black Justice Strategy website at: A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada’s Black Justice Strategy and the news release at: Release of the external Steering Group Report: an important milestone in the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy – Canada.ca